Getting tired of AI-this and AI-that littering your timelines? Got co-workers who are talking non-stop about the AI revolution? Rather sink into a pool full of neon Jello than contemplate the tech ethics cataclysm that will likely emerge from this AI hype? Then this post is for you my fellow hype-exhausted friends.
As tempting as that Jello pool is alas, AI conversations are necessary ones for us all to be having right now no matter what industry you're in. Because unlike the equally tiring hype cycles around blockchain and cryptocurrencies, AI is going to stick and it's going to affect a lot more industries outside of traditional tech. It's even infiltrated healthcare, one of the most conservative and regulated industries on Earth. So whether you like it or not, you're eventually going to have to have some conversations about AI.
Here are four suggestions to help you ground yourself as the AI hypestorm continues to surge:
- Take some time to understand who owns what: Morton Rand-Hendriksen of LinkedIn Learning has a great short video explaining who owns the data you enter into AI models. You should also take some time to read OpenAI's own blog post on data ownership as well. OpenAI has also been responding to feedback and providing new options for controlling how your data is used in their models.
- Embrace learning, not panic: As Justin Searls notes in a very practical post about how to tell if AI is coming for your job, people who are willing to learn about AI are going to have a smoother transition whenever the AI wave reaches their workplace. My employer Torchbox has a useful list of resources you can start with on their new website on AI innovation.
- Pay attention to the ethics: While AI technology is exciting, it's also important to remember the social and ethical conversations that are taking place as well. Casey Fiesler of the University of Colorado Boulder wrote a good overview of the potential ethical consequences of the AI race and provides a reminder that policy is just as important as technology when it comes to AI.
- Take breaks and change the subject: AI geeks are having their moment, and like any geeks who are having their moment, they will keep talking about the Thing-That-Is-Their-Reason-For-Existing until the fabric of the universe unravels. Unless, you ask for a break or to switch the topic. Set a timer if you have to and say, "We're talking about the travel expenses policy" or "We're talking about this loony baking guy on TikTok" for ten minutes. If they get sulky, remind them AI experts are spawning across the Internet like mutant daisies. There's no shortage of other AI people to nerd out with.
Those things have been helping me keep my sanity, so I hope they help keep yours too. If not, there's always the Jello pool.
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